Do you enjoy Westerns? I really enjoy the Western genre as tv shows, movies, books, and games. But Westerns are more of a glorificiation of the American West, most mythology than history most of the time. That is why books like The West That Was: A Lively and Authoritive Story and Picture Album by Thomas W. Knowles and Joe R. Lansdale fascinate me even more.
A lavishly illustrated look at the Old West features stories and articles by major writers–including Dee Brown, Loren Estleman, and Elmer Kelton–about such legendary figures as Kit Carson, Annie Oakley, Calamity Jane, and General Custer.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/609572.The_West_That_Was
This books through a series of essays and photos tells the real stories of the Old West as best it can. As you read these, you don’t need the mythic tales of cinema and stories, the real history is just as fascinating. This book also delves into history I have not read as much about as the the precursor to what we consider the Wild West or Old West and the true stories of the women of the West.
So, if you are interested in writing your own Westerns or just understanding the stories and history more, this book would be a good find for you.